Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:56:13 -0400
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: Round Headlight Upgrade from Sealed Beams
In-Reply-To: <889A2566-DE27-45BC-A4A5-3ED03D36A1A7@mts.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> I bought a set of Hellas (I think? Maybe H4s?) maybe 10
> years ago, that angle the beam so the light is more focused.
> How do these compare to the Bosch you are talking about?
It depends on which Hellas you have. To explain this I probably have to
start with what the Bosch is, and is not. The Bosch is a true H4 headlight.
Thanks to arcane U.S. D.O.T. FMVSS 108 regulations, you're not supposed to
use H4 headlights on a car in the United States. (For this reason, I and all
other vendors sell all H4 headlights as for "offroad use only.") However,
according to the same regulations, it's perfectlly fine to use them on
motorcycles, as long as the manufacturer has obtained the proper D.O.T.
approval. Bosch makes two versions of their H4's - one which is strictly
E-code (European and Canadian street legal), and a very similar one that is
D.O.T. approved for use on motorcycles. The latter one can be identified by
the D.O.T. marking on the lens, and is the one that is generally preferred
for Vanagon or Bus use. (See http://www.ratwell.com/technical/BoschH4.html).
It is our good fortune that Bosch makes this D.O.T. version because that's
the only reason we are all getting this bargain. One of Bosch's customers
(Harley Davidson) experienced a sales downturn, resulting in an overstock of
these headlights, which I in turn bought for way below wholesale.
Hella makes their own conventional H4 headlight, which is relatively
comparable to the Bosch (although some would argue that the Bosch has a
slightly preferable beam pattern). If that is what you already have on your
Vanagon, I can't say I'd bother replacing them. But Hella also makes a
"Vision Plus" model that is also often erroneously referred to as an H4
headlight. A better description would be "H4 style," as it actually uses an
HB2 rather than an H4 bulb. Since it is not actually an H4, it is U.S.
D.O.T. approved for automotive use, so anyone concerned about enforcement of
FMVSS 108 can use it worry-free. But the downside is that the HB2's
performance is widely considered to be inferior to that of a comparable H4,
and the cost is higher. If this is the Hella that you have, you might notice
some improvement using the Bosch, although certainly not as substantial as
if you were upgrading from sealed-beams, as the Vision Plus has already
gotten you half way there.
In between these options are a wide range of bargain priced H4 headlights,
mostly made in India or Taiwan. They all come from a few factories that
private-label them and build to spec (or to price). Most are neither ECE
(E-code) nor D.O.T. compliant, so they have to meet no recognized standard
at all. As a result the quality and performance are all over the place, and
cannot be predicted by brand name or price. The worst of them can leak when
it rains, blind oncoming traffic, or in some cases illuminate the shoulder
better than the road (as some sold in the U.S. were actually designed for
Indian, UK, or other right-hand-drive markets). The best of them are
actually pretty decent, and a few even meet ECE specs, although I would not
put them on the par with a good Bosch, Hella, or Cibie.
As for having to upgrade your wiring, the standard 60/55 watt H4 bulbs draw
about the same current as the stock sealed-beams and will work with your
existing wiring (although cleaning up or replacing grounds, or adding a
relay, can only improve things). If you move up to an 80/100w bulb you will
need to add a relay. Most people find that upgrading to the H4's with the
standard 60/55w bulbs is already a big improvement, and it's a five-minute
drop-in installation that way, so I tend to advise starting there. If it
doesn't cut it for you, you can always add a relay and brighter bulbs
afterwards
Bottom line for all this is, at regular price ($80 to $120 for a pair of
Bosch, Hella, or Cibie H4's, $35-$50 for a decent generic set), there would
be a number of options well worth considering. But right now, while you can
get the Bosch's for the price of the generics (and half the price of any
comparable top-shelf alternatives), there's nothing else to consider. This
is a no-brainer.
Link:
http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=0301600118
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
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